Tainted Crown

by Jenn Vakey

  “It will take an hour,” I said, nodding my thanks. “Listen to your body when you feel it kick in to try to understand what it is. We’ll be back at nightfall. Then we save our city.”

  Mackie had a dark smile as he nodded and stepped back. I turned to find Paxton doing the same from the next cell. He shook his head as I joined him, and we moved further down.

  “He’s ready to fight, but he didn’t accept the vial.”

  We separated again when I reached the next person down. I stilled for a moment when I saw her face. I knew this woman. But from where? I looked to the name on the screen. Adara Arber. Healer.

  Recognition clicked. She was the woman who had approached us as we were fleeing Eden that night. The one who had given us the bag of supplies. There was a good chance she had saved Leeya’s life. For that, I would forever be in her debt.

  “Who’s the true king?” I asked. I already knew the answer. I was asking more to see her reaction when facing Othman Meltzer than anything else.

  And she didn’t disappoint.

  “Bite me,” she snapped. She was defiant, even when facing a man who could very well end her life without even needing a reason. Brave. I liked her.

  I smirked, once again moving forward to let her see my face.

  “I take that back,” she said, eyes lighting up with excitement. The fact that she didn’t even look slightly abashed at just telling her prince to bite her made me like her even more.

  “You’re not a Sentry,” I said, fixing myself and straightening. “How did they get you?”

  Healer Arber walked forward and sighed, her lips twisting in frustration. “I was collecting supplies to send to Alkwin,” she said, her frown deepening. “They took the bag I had filled before I could get it to your people.”

  “We received it,” I assured her. “We were even smart enough not to eat the poisoned food they also included when the Sentry were kind enough to deliver it. Alkwin’s Healers were very grateful.”

  “Are you only here for the Sentry that were captured?”

  “No, my friend,” I smiled, producing another vial for her to see. “I’m here to save my whole city. I won’t ask you to fight if you don’t want to, but I will get you out of here tonight. I’ll also give you the same option I’m giving those that will be fighting. A serum that will wake up the Tainted abilities in anyone who wants access to them.”

  “Why the hell not?” she said, taking it and swallowing it without delay. I would have expected a Healer to at least ask some questions about what she was putting in her body, but apparently she trusted me. Did I mention that I liked this woman? “I can’t say I will fight to bring down your cousin, but I will fight anyone who tries to hurt the people in my community. My family.”

  I gave her the same instructions, then assured her that we would be back at nightfall.

  “I’ll gather the Healers I know that support you,” she said, nodding. “We’ll be ready for those who need us.”

  It took us just over an hour to work our way down the cell block. While most of those who had been arrested were Sentry, there were people from every vocation. Scholars who had been captured after helping some of the new arrivals in Alkwin escape. Distributors and Growers caught in the same way Adara Arber had been. Many others who tried to fight off Sentry when they moved in to arrest someone else. Even Sentry they hadn’t known.

  Seventy-two percent of the people being held took the vials. They also gave us a combined list of close to fifty more people for us to talk to who were still free in Eden. Friends and family members who they knew would be willing to fight for us. For me.

  By the time we were leaving, the first people we had given the vials to were already starting to display. Niklas Mackie looked over and smiled as we passed, gripping the metal frame of his cot and bending it like it was made of nothing stronger than plastic.

  That would be useful.

  I walked back to the spot I had changed before when we left the prison and quickly stripped out of the yellow jumpsuit and back into my Sentry black, then replaced Meltzer’s face with the nondescript one I had donned on the walk here.

  It was time for our second and final stop.

  There was a tension like I had never felt in Eden before as we walked through the city. It was like the very essence of discord was polluting the air. It was in the way people avoided looking at us directly. The way they moved closer to their loved ones. There had always been a healthy respect for the Sentry, but this went beyond that.

  People were afraid.

  “My father would have hated seeing this,” I muttered. “He always told us that balance was essential for the future of Eden.”

  Paxton didn’t respond. Not with words, at least. While I had never met him prior to my escape from the facility, I did know his father. Where my father had wanted balance, Othman Meltzer craved power. Like me, I was certain Paxton saw the scene around us and knew that it was something his father would have been pleased with.

  With our detours to avoid as many Sentry patrols as possible, it took us some time to finally reach our destination.

  The broadcast station.

  My gaze swept through the room when we walked inside. It looked the same as it had days before. It didn’t appear that they had taken any damage from that bomb Dex had thrown at us. That was good. This part of our plan was essential.

  Unlike last time, there was only one person occupying the space that I could see. The very one I had been hoping to find. The middle aged woman with auburn hair. While I had been briefed on how to operate the systems if things came to that, this did make things much easier for us.

  My relief at seeing her faltered slightly when she turned to face me directly. It wasn’t the nearly hidden anger and resentment that I could see in her eyes that did it. It was the large bruise that marred the side of her face.

  “What happened to you?” I asked. My tone was clipped, my anger at seeing the marks slipping out with my words.

  Rose, whose name I had learned after my arrival in Alkwin, dropped her gaze from mine. Her lack of answer was an answer in and of itself. Sentry.

  Reaching into my bag, I pulled out the small paper I had secured in one of the interior pockets. I held it out for her. Rose’s hand shook as she took it, her eyes meeting mine with a look of confusion before she carefully opened it and started to read.

  That was when she let go of all pretenses and showed me how she really felt at having two Sentry in her station.

  “What did you do to her?” she hissed. Her hand tightened around the note, and she stepped toward me. Had the situation been any different, I would have smiled. She was a small thing. There was no way she would be able to hold her own against even one Sentry. That didn’t stop her from facing off against the two of us. “How did you get this?”

  I held my hands up in a nonthreatening gesture. Then I let my mask fall away.

  “I give you my word that your daughter is safe,” I said calmly. She sucked in a breath at my appearance, her eyes wide as she stumbled back a step. “The only trick was my disguise. Natali gave that to me as we were leaving, because she was informed that part of our plan was to come here and visit the prison. I’m glad we found you here instead of there.”

  Rose released a breath and nodded. Her eyes started to glisten, but she quickly blinked the reaction away.

  “I had sent the others away during the altercation between you and Dex that night,” she stated. “I pretended not to know how to shut the feed off when they came back in. That’s when they struck me. His confession made it to the entire city three times before they finally pulled it.”

  “I hate to put you in a situation like that again, but we’re here to win back our city tonight,” I told her. “It would help if I could warn people not wishing to get involved to stay inside.”

  Rose didn’t even hesitate. “Good,” she said with a sneer. “That man is the reason my baby had to flee. I’m at your service. Whatever you need.”

  I n
odded my thanks, then she led me through the process of recording the statement I had prepared. No mask. They needed to see my face. To know that I had come back for them. That I was willing to risk my own life to fight this battle.

  It wasn’t long, but it was all encompassing. Assurances for those that needed it. Instructions. And most of all, a call to war.

  “Please set this to play on a loop beginning at six tonight,” I instructed when we had finished. “We just gave a couple hundred people access to their Tainted genes, so I expect things to get violent. We need to ensure the safety of as many people as we can while we move to arrest Dex and the council.”

  “Gave them access?” Rose asked, perking up. Her eyes were alit with something close to hunger. It made me smile. “How?”

  I didn’t bother asking her if she wanted it before pulling out a vial and giving it to her. She had already proven that she was willing to risk her life to assist us. “There’s no telling what the abilities will be, but it will activate in about an hour after you take it. We just worked our way through everyone arrested for supporting me. If all goes as planned, being Tainted in Eden won’t be a problem after today.” I pointed to my face to emphasize that fact. This wasn’t just an idle promise to try to win support.

  Rose tugged the top off of the vial and emptied it into her mouth, smiling as she swallowed. “Do you have any extras?” she asked, slipping it into her pocket. “There’s an underground support group for parents of Tainted. Ones that haven’t reached the age of the test yet, along with some who didn’t gain their abilities until adulthood. Not all of them were able to get out of the city after your message. They’ll want to be a part of this.”

  After getting Rose set up with a stock of vials and the instructions to give, Paxton and I left her to do what she needed to. Our part was done for now.

  All that was left was to wait.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

  LEEYA

  It was just before four by the time we all made it back to Harun’s house. Things went far better than we ever could have hoped for. Of all of the names we had been given, only two of the people we spoke with had to be sedated and restrained. Kavon Trombly didn’t disappoint there. He arrived swiftly with his men and took custody of the man and woman whose support sat with Dex.

  Our list of close to seventy people we were to approach had doubled by the time we were finished. People were all too willing to give us names of others they knew and trusted who would want to fight for their true king. While not everyone was open to taking the serum, we had amassed an army by the time we were through.

  “We have Sentry assigned to certain areas around the city,” Rhydian said as we all sat around Harun’s table. “They’ll be acting to protect the citizens in those areas, as well as directing anyone who desires to assist. The rest will be meeting us at the prison.”

  “We can’t expect the movements to go unnoticed,” Gryffin added. “As soon as the group starts to converge, someone will report it. They’ll already be on alert once the message is aired.”

  We all nodded. It was unavoidable. Despite our day spent trying to come up with ideas around it, there was no way to keep our plans hidden and hope that we could move on Dex and the council while their guards were down.

  “Neema Trombly will override the interior cell doors in the prison at ten to six,” Rhydian stated. “We will have to enter just prior to gain access of the controls for the main door before the Sentry stationed there have the opportunity to sound the alarm and trigger a shutdown. She did ensure us that she could override it if that does happen, but it will take time. At that point, we would be faced with a group of Sentry sent to stop us. It’s best if we can avoid that.”

  “That will leave us with sixty-five minutes to get everyone out and make it across Eden to the palace before she unlocks the gates there for us,” I added.

  Gryffin smirked. “Leave it to the two of you to track down someone with the access to such things. Our cousin must really underestimate us if he didn’t even consider detaining everyone who could.”

  “I doubt he even knows it’s possible,” Harun said. He sat at the end of the table, his focus on the small plant in front of him. They were a rarity in Eden, but as a Scholar, he would have had easier access to one. Especially if it were to be used in a lesson. His fingers moved in graceful circles in front of it. As they did, the tiny vines reached out and danced.

  Moving past the distraction, I thought about what he said. Rhydian had said in the past that he had only learned things about Eden after he had left the city. It would stand to reason that there would be quite a bit Dex wasn’t aware of. With his father plotting to take the throne, though, there wasn’t really any way of knowing just how much they had sought to know.

  Either way, his oversight was going to work in our favor here.

  “We’ll be moving in three teams,” Rhydian went on. “The largest will be moving on the palace. Assuming the protocol hasn’t been changed since Dex took the throne, that’s where we will find Dex and the majority of the council.” He turned to look at me. “I want you by my side tonight.”

  I smiled and nodded. As much because he made no attempt to hide the affection behind it as the thought. We had both learned our lesson about separating.

  “I would like to lead the team that goes after my father,” Paxton spoke up. “I want him to see for himself where I stand with this.”

  I looked between Rhydian and Gryffin to see their reactions. Neither showed any sign of being worried. Of fearing that he might falter when actually faced with the man.

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  Paxton nodded and pulled something from his pocket. He watched his fist where it rested on the table for a moment before he opened it and revealed the vial held within. “And I’m taking this.”

  My oldest friend didn’t wait for anyone to comment on that before he flicked the top off and drank the serum. And just like that, the last member of our little group was now Tainted.

  The next half hour was spent going over the plan. We didn’t really have anything else to discuss after determining who would be doing what. By the time people started to knock on the door requesting serum, apparently having been sent by our people inside the city, we decided to break until it was time for us to go.

  I stood in the kitchen, looking out at the city through the window. In the distance, I could just make out a group of Sentry hassling a man and woman. My body ached with the need to help. To stop them. It went against all of my instincts, but I couldn't do anything. Not if it meant alerting them to our presence.

  One more night. No matter how things ended with this, things in Eden would never be the same.

  I didn't need to hear the footsteps coming to know I wasn’t alone anymore. It was like the air shifted. Like I could feel him.

  "More people looking for the serum?" I asked without turning around.

  A tired sigh sounded just before a warm wall of muscle pressed up firmly against my back. I leaned into the comfort of it, allowing his strong arms to wrap around me.

  "One of our people developed an ability like yours, so he's been questioning everyone before sending them," he answered. "Most will be staying around the homes to protect people. They aren't fighters, but they want to help where they can."

  "Nothing will be the same after we do this," I said, echoing my thoughts from before. "People will be free to live wherever they want."

  "It will make preparing for winter easier," he said. He nuzzled his chin against the side of my head. "We could set up a trade route."

  "Some people will probably want to come back to the city." I couldn't really picture any of the people who were already in Alkwin before I arrived wanting to rejoin the Eden society, but I imagined many of the newest people would consider it. "Will you still want to stay in Alkwin?"

  Rhydian turned his head and pressed his lips to the shell of my ear. The heat of his breath sent a shiver through me just as I felt him smile. "You would never
be happy away from the outdoors."

  My heart pounded at his response. There might have been a teasing note to his voice, but I could hear the truth of it. Even if he wanted to move back to Eden, he would still consider what I wanted. What would make me happy.

  "I'd be happy anywhere as long as I was with you," I said honestly. And it was the truth. Even if it meant being locked inside the wall again. Not that that would ever happen.

  "Gryffin will be here," he said. "They don't need me. It will also be safer for Linley to be away from everything until we know people won't be looking for revenge."

  Even though I knew it would be his answer, it was still a relief to hear him actually say it. I hadn’t been lying when I told Kavon that I liked my life in Alkwin. I wanted to go back there when this was over. To finish that house and spend the rest of my days there with him.